Pickup, dispensing, and loading markers for games



3,073,482 PICKUP, DISPENSING, AND LOADING MARKERS FOR GAMES Filed March 14. 1960 Jan. 15, 1963 c. c. WINTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CHARLES 6!..Mur5es H/s Arraeusv Jan. 15, 1963 c c. WINTERS 3,0 8

PICKUP, DISPENSING, AND LOADING MARKERS FOR GAMES Filed March 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Uwmm m! IHLIHIPJHHLIIIILH ,IIIIIHI Fig.4

INVENTOR. C'HA 21.6.56: Murfks HLSATTORNEY tube with a .rod projected ,thereinto. v w Referring particularly-to FIG. '1 ofthe rod 1 ..is preferably'round and rna'de 'of materialstichfas ,plastic' butof; course ma'y-be made ofl'anyfifsuitablemate rial in'which the 'slots 2 and-f3 may be formed .or 'other-' v wise cut therein W iChQSlot s' {Slope inwardly-to"orbeyond .1

the cfenter of therod as they approach the enddof the' rods 'Atfthefinner "endfof the slot 2 a hole -4qisf3drilled trarlsvjersely through the .rod, At. the inner. end er the. slot a? hole {Sis drilled'transve'r'sely through the frodr th tube 26in proper alignment. *When the tube. is filled PICKUP, DISPENSING, AND LOADING MARKERS FOR GAMES Charles C. Winters, R.D. 6, Butler, Pa. Filed Mar. 14,1960, Ser. No. 14,756 Claims. (Cl. 221--175) This invention relates generally to apparatus for picking up, dispensing and loading markers for games and more particularly for use with Washer type markers on rod type carriers.

,In playing games where it is necessary to place markers on a card or on the playing surface of a game, it is dif- I ficult to hold extra markers in the hands and accurately place one marker at a time while still retaining additional markers in the hands. One is apt to drop one or more of the additional markers on the card or playing surface and either disturb or forget which are the proper markers as games of this character move very fast and one does not have time to ponder but must act or move fast. Thus the mistaken or improperly deposited marker on the card or playing surface may lead to inaccuracies ruling out the player. This sometimes also proves to be embarrassing to the player making the mistake and at the same time provokes the other players. Such conditions can readily be avoided by the dispensing member comprising the improvement of one portion of this invention wherein a rod or pencil, having a spring at both ends, is employed to hold washer type markers and to pick up or dispense them when held vertically. The washer holding spring at the pickup end is very close to one end of the rod permitting the spring to quicklypick up a washer and move it onto the rod. The washer holding spring at the other or dispensing end of the rod is spaced a washer thickness from the rod end to permit only one washer'to be dis:

pensed for each application of pressure on the washerstoward the dispensing end of the rod.

. Another phase in this problem is in quickly loading theserods. Although a few washers may be quickly picked upon the pick up end of the rod, these rods may be quickly loaded when employed with' a loadingbox and tube. This quickly aligns'many washers that permits the rod to be inserted therein.

The loading b'ox'and tube also function as a carrier for a supply of the washer markers and rods- Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in,

the following description and claims...

The accompanying drawings show for the'pnrpose of exemplification without limiting theinvention or claims thereto, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view partly in section and with parts broken'away illustrating the rod comprising this.

invention. 3 I

FIG. -2 is a perspective view showing the loading box with the loading tube stored therein. Y

FIG.'3 is a perspective view of the loading tube.

=FIG. 4- is a sectional view of the loading box and the loading tube.-,-m-

"FIG. 5 is-a perspective view .of'the loading box and the loading tube inoperative cooperation. v

through .anopening in the end 17 'of the box.

having a bend or shoulder 9 with a short end section 10.

adjacent thereto, whereas the other end of the spring 8is provided with a long end section 11. The whole of the springs 8 in each instance is the same and it lies in a single plane. The fact that the hole 4 is closer to the end 6 places the shoulder .9 of the spring 8 close to the curved end 6. The end 7 of the rod being further from theshoulder 9 provides for the extension 12 on the rod which is substantially the' same length as the thickness of the washer 13. Thus if the end 6 of the rod is pushed into the bore 14 of the washer? 13, the shoulder 9 will spring inwardly and allow the washer 13 to pass thereover and be held on the rod 1 by the inner shoulder 15 of the f shoulder 9 on the spring 8. If the washers 13 are stacked on the rod 1 and pressure is applied on the washers to ward the end 7 which is on a table or card surface one washer 13 will be permitted to be pushed over the shoul der 9 of its spring and rest in the position as shown in FIG. 1. Further pressure will not feed the second washor on top of the firs-t washer that is beyond the shoulder. Upon raising the rod the lowermost washer Which'is on the section 12 of the rod will be left in the proper position and thus dispensed from the end of the rod.

If the rod is turned upside ,down to simulate the position as shown at the top of FIG. 1, then downward pressure on the rod will cause the washer to again flex the spring inwardly, and ,admit the washer onto the rod. Thus the rod dispenses the washers at one end and picks them up at the other end. The surface of the rod may carry characters as indicated at 29 which represents ad vertising matter to increase the friction between the rod and the washer marker when held for dispensin'gi and the fron'tside 19 and the rear side20 hinged'to the box as indicated at 22. p v

The rear wall'20' of the box extends downwardly to form the upwardly open cylindrical slot 23 which ends in the box bottom 24 to provide aIsemi-cylindrical slot 25 for the full length of the box. The box ends 17 and 18 extend to the tangent of the cylindrical surface 23 so as to provide a flat rest for the box.

As shown in FIGS. 2m 6 a loading tube 26 is inserted This opening is defined by the short outwardly extending tube -27 that is of the same cylindrical size as the portion 23 and thus provides an exterior throat for the, semi-cylindrical slot 25 outside of the box. The, bore 28 of the tube 27 is of proper size to' admit the'loading .tube 26 i which is also tubular and is partially closed by the ring type flange 30 at one end which has an opening 31 in the axial ,center' thereof with appropriate clearance slots 32 for the. purpose of admittingthe rod 1 and with the slots 32 passing the shoulders 9 on the springs 8.. However, the hole 31 *FIG.'}.6 is a planview of the loadingbox and loading washers 13.

As shownin FIG. 2 thetube 26 With'its'flan'geSQ' adjacent'thebore 28when placed in the box and when the lid thereof 'is closed prevents any washers from escaping I the box and 'a s'eries of loaded-rods or loose rods and loose washersmay thus-be'safe'l'y carried in-the box without fear.

the latch Sit-secures the :lid in its'locked position.

I When it is'desiredto loadftherods the loading tuben26 is positioned as, illustratediin FIG. 5 and'is 1"otated"and' I, reciproeated back? and fifOIih" by hand causing the loose, washers to align themselves and enter the open endof Patented Jan. 15, 1963 v is not sufficiently large to pass the 3 there are usually additional aligned washers 13 in the upwardly open semi-cylindrical trough 25 even though the end of the tube 26 is spaced from the end of the box by reason of the flange 30 engaging the outer end of the tube 27 as shown in FIG. 6. With the washers all properly aligned in the tube 26 the rod 1 maybe inserted through the plug washer 30 with the shoulder 9 of the spring 8 aligned with one of the slots 32 and forced upwardly through all of the aligned washers until it is completely filled. The loading tube 26 may then be withdrawn from the box and the loaded pencil or rod slid through the open end of the loading tube 26 ready for use.

I claim: p 1. A hand dispenser for receiving and discharging washer markers of uniform thickness on a planar surface comprising a rod having a diameter that permits the washer markers to readily slide thereover, a longitudinally disposed slot in the side of the rod and adjacent each end of the rod, a spring in each slot having an anchor on one end and a shoulder on the other end connected by a stem, the anchor of each spring holding the same in the slot below the surface of the rod with the stem rising up in the slot to the shoulder that protrudes out ofthe slot for a distance greater than the clearance between the washer marker and the rod, the shoulder of each spring being rounded to permit a washer to depress the same into its slot when a washer marker is forcibly moved over the shoulder in either direction, one end of said rod extending from the shoulder of its spring a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a washer marker to dispense one washer marker at a time when placing the rod against the planar surface and by exerting downward pressure on the washer markers on the rod, and the other end of said rod extending from the shoulder of its spring a distance substantially equal to a very small fraction of the thickness of a washer marker to pick up the same one at a time from the planar surface by exerting downward pressure on the rod.

2. Thehand'dispenser of claim 1 characterized in that the length of saidrrod extending between the shoulders of said springs; comprises. a distance to hold sufficient washer markers on, said rod to form a hand gripping surface comparable to a pencil to enable the operator to hold the washer markers to dispense and hold the rod to pick up one washer'ma-rker at a time from opposite ends of said rod.

3. The hand dispenser of. claim 1 characterized by characters on said rod surface such as advertising to increase the friction between the rod and said washer markers when held for dispensing.

4. The hand dispenser of claim 1, characterized by a loading tube having a bore at one end open and sufficiently large to receive the Washer markers, a stop at the other end of said loading tube to prevent the washer markers from passing therethrough but open to receive said rod and spring shoulders, a loading box having an opening in one end to slidably receive the open end of said loading tube, and a stop adjacent said other end of said loading tube to limit the entry of said loading tube into said box, said loading tube being rotatable and reciprocal through said opening in said loading box to shuck and feed aligned washer markers into said open bore and to discharge a loaded rod inserted past said stop.

5. The hand dispenser of claim 4 characterized by an arcuate surface in said loading box aligned with said opening to receive said loading tube.

6. The hand dispenser of claim 4 characterized by a sleeve proportioned to receive said loading tube on the outer side of said loading box and formingsaid opening in said box to arrest said stop on said loading tube before the open end of said loading tube reaches the opposite end of said loading box.

7. The hand dispenser of claim 4 characterized in that said stop on said loading tube engages said box before the open end of said loading tube reaches the opposite end of said loading box.

'8. The hand dispenser of claim.4 characterized by alid on said loading box to retain the washer markers therein when said box is shaken.

9. The hand dispenser of claim 4 characterized in that said loading box and loading tube are transparent.

.10. The, hand dispenser of claim 4 characterized by a semi-cylindrical surface in said loading box and in alignment with said opening to receive said loading tube, and end box means to maintain uniform the exterior of said loading box for stacking.

Stewart Apr. 14, 1959 

1. A HAND DISPENSER FOR RECEIVING AND DISCHARGING WASHER MARKERS OF UNIFORM THICKNESS ON A PLANAR SURFACE COMPRISING A ROD HAVING A DIAMETER THAT PERMITS THE WASHER MARKERS TO READILY SLIDE THEREOVER, A LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED SLOT IN THE SIDE OF THE ROD AND ADJACENT EACH END OF THE ROD, A SPRING IN EACH SLOT HAVING AN ANCHOR ON ONE END AND A SHOULDER ON THE OTHER END CONNECTED BY A STEM, THE ANCHOR OF EACH SPRING HOLDING THE SAME IN THE SLOT BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE ROD WITH THE STEM RISING UP IN THE SLOT TO THE SHOULDER THAT PROTRUDES OUT OF THE SLOT FOR A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE WASHER MARKER AND THE ROD, THE SHOULDER OF EACH SPRING BEING ROUNDED TO PERMIT A WASHER TO DEPRESS THE SAME INTO ITS SLOT WHEN A WASHER MARKER IS FORCIBLY MOVED OVER THE SHOULDER IN EITHER DIRECTION, ONE END OF SAID ROD EXTENDING FROM THE SHOULDER OF ITS SPRING A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF A WASHER MARKER TO DISPENSE ONE WASHER MARKER AT A TIME WHEN PLACING THE ROD AGAINST THE PLANAR SURFACE AND BY EXERTING DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON THE WASHER MARKERS ON THE ROD, AND THE OTHER END OF SAID ROD EXTENDING FROM THE SHOULDER OF ITS SPRING A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO A VERY SMALL FRACTION OF THE THICKNESS OF A WASHER MARKER TO PICK UP THE SAME ONE AT A TIME FROM THE PLANAR SURFACE BY EXERTING DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON THE ROD. 